High Court appointments

23 November 2017

We are delighted to announce that two Hertford alumni have been appointed judges in the Queen’s Bench Division in the High Court, both of whom took their appointments last month.

Peter Lane (1971) read law at Hertford, initially training as a barrister. He became a solicitor upon moving into private practice, and worked extensively in immigration as an Immigration Adjudicatory, Vice President of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal, a legal member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission and as President of the General Regulatory Chamber. In addition to being appointed a High Court Justice, replacing Sir Michael Burton, he has also been appointed Chamber President for the Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber, both taking effect on 2 October 2017.

Martin Spencer QC (1974) read law at Hertford, as well as subsequently studying for the BCL, before being called to the bar in 1979. He specialises in professional negligence, personal injury and disciplinary hearings. He took silk in 2003 and was appointed as a Recorder in 2001. He has been appointed a High Court Justice, replacing Dame Frances Patterson, where he will be known as The Honourable Mr Justice Martin Spencer.

Hertford now has three of the 96 High Court Justices, along with Sir Henry Carr who was appointed to the Chancery Division in 2015.